Real Housewives

In a special WWHL before this week's RHOBH, original Housewife Kim Richards returned to the Bravo clubhouse for the first time since her relapse, multiple stints in rehab and dual arrests following the conclusion of Season 5. In the exclusive interview with Andy Cohen, Kim laid (almost) everything out on the table - from what she thinks about being a topic of discussion this season in Beverly Hills and how she's moving forward with her sister Kyle to what really happened the night of her arrest at the famous Beverly Hills Hotel for public intoxication. For this week's feature, I'm breaking down everything we learned during the OG's one-on-one with Andy.

Kim is sober and healthy...and still loves turtles!

First thing's first, Kim seems really great. She's sober, seems happy and looks absolutely fabulous. Even with the tragic February passing of Monty Brinson, her ex-husband and best friend, Kim says she's coping well and remains committed to maintaining her sobriety. Even more, after an extremely difficult Season 5, where we saw her on a destructive downward spiral, she's taking ownership of her past behavior, mistakes and their consequences, and seems to be looking forward to the future. However, she shares that this time around, she's consciously choosing to keep her recovery private - it's not for the public to know. Also, one thing we specifically won't be getting any information about is Kim's August 2015 arrest for allegedly attempting to shoplift $600 worth of toys from a Van Nuys, Calif. Target since it's a pending legal matter.

Who's the real "dangerous" 'Wife here?

After Andy shows a clip package of the many times she's been brought up in conversation this season, Kim explains that she doesn't appreciate being talked about by the other women on camera, even if she feels the concern is genuine from (some of) them. Kim admits that she hasn't seen much of the season, but the one episode she managed to catch was the one where Lisa Rinna referred to her as "vicious," "vile" and a "rabid dog." Lisa Rinna's comments this season have crossed way too many lines, particularly in her confessionals when her people-pleasing switch is turned OFF, and she's consistently hit below the belt when it comes to Kim.

She's working on her relationship with Kyle. Slowly.

Kim describes her conversation with Kyle at the end of last week's episode as cathartic for them, but also difficult to have. In fact, Kim reveals in her interview that when she first got out of treatment, she wasn't able to take Kyle's calls. There has been so much hurt and resentment on both sides of the relationship that, to some extent, each sister has to be able to let go and move forward.

What really happened at the Beverly Hills Hotel?

With the Target scandal off-limits, Andy asks about the next-most-pressing issue: Kim's arrest in April 2015 at the Beverly Hills Hotel, which coincidentally occurred the same night Part 3 of the Season 5 reunion aired. Simultaneously taking care of Monty, who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and her son Chad, who was admitted to a psychiatric facility around that time, Kim stopped working a recovery program and relapsed. Coming up on three and a half years of sobriety, she had a glass of wine with a girlfriend towards the end of the season airing. A couple weeks later, she started drinking at her daughter Brooke's house to cope with watching the Season 5 reunion. However, realizing her mistake, Kim left the house to drive home before realizing she probably shouldn't be driving under the influence. Stopping at the Beverly Hills Hotel, a tipsy Kim insisted on sitting in "her booth" when the maître d' informed her the hotel was closing and she needed to leave. When she refused to leave, the maître d' threatened to call the police and things escalated to the point where she was arrested for public intoxication. Kim says that, in a way, she felt relieved that she could go away for another 30 days of treatment upon getting arrested.

Kim is firmly on Team Yolanda.

Andy points out that since leaving the show, Kim has maintained a close friendship with Yolanda Foster. After watching a clip of the many things the 'Wives have said about the Dutch Martha Stewart this season, Kim explains that she's simply supporting Yo, whom she has watched suffer through Lyme disease for years. She also points out that one particular 'Wife consistently finds herself at the center of the gossip (ahem, Lisa Rinna) by continually bringing up her co-stars issues, whether that be Kim last season or Yo this season. While she doesn't seem overly bothered about it, there's clearly not much love lost between her and Lisa Rinna. However, if she found herself face-to-face with Lisa R., (which she will at the reunion), Kim admits that she's not sure what she would say. Citing that every interaction they have gets "dangerous," Kim says she simply doesn't understand why Lisa Rinna seems to have it out for her.

She doesn't think Brandi Glanville is a bad friend.

Photo Credit: Daily Mail Online

Andy brings up the backlash targeted at Brandi when she wore one of her shirts while filming with Kim and Yolanda that said "It's Not Fun to Be Sober." However, Kim doesn't really see the big deal, saying that Brandi may like to drink but insists that the notorious bad girl of Beverly Hills doesn't drink around her. Further, Kim calls out what she sees as the very apparent double standard that all the other 'Wives drink when they're out socially or filming with Kim, but it only seems to matter when it comes to Brandi's alcohol consumption. However, as I tweeted during the special, pretty much nothing could change my mind at this point that Brandi isn't the best influence on Kim.

While she wasn't a full-time Housewife this season, you can catch her every Tuesday with her daughter Kimberly Jackson on The Mother/Daughter Experiment: Celebrity Edition on Lifetime!